


angel with a shotgun.

by oumasigh



Category: TDC - Fandom, TMR - Fandom, TST - Fandom, The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I would follow you anywhere, Laser Tag, Loser!Minho, Lowercase, M/M, Modern Era, Please Tommy Please, Post-The Death Cure, Post-The Scorch Trials, Pre-The Death Cure, Pre-The Scorch Trials, Surprise Kissing, The Death Cure, The Scorch Trials - Freeform, The books and movies never happened, Thomas always wins, angst but not really, fxf is so minor, lowercase intended, newtmas - Freeform, tdc, tmr - Freeform, tst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 09:25:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13544454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oumasigh/pseuds/oumasigh
Summary: or the modern-based story where Thomas' friend group drifted during their senior year of high school and upon finally meeting up to play a not-so-friendly game of laser tag, Thomas discovers that things never change. Maybe Newt knows that.-- "I'm with Thomas."





	angel with a shotgun.

**ANGEL WITH A SHOTGUN.**

_i want to live, not just survive._

* * *

 

“i’m with thomas.” 

 

thomas had had his back turned, front facing the wall as he lugged the hefty vest on over his head and shoulders. if he hadn’t been so focused on buckling the vest, god knows he would’ve jumped. nobody in the small group of four had truly spoken all day. if it weren’t for minho, thomas didn’t think any of them would’ve met up outside of school at all.

 

it wasn’t that they hated each other, but more or less that their once strong friendship had kind of drifted as soon as senior year had started up. teresa switched schools entirely, thomas blaming himself after hearing rumors that she had liked him, meaning that somewhere in his playfulness he must have led her on. after she had switched schools, most of the friends she had brought into conversations went with her. it wasn’t that they switched schools right along with her, but more literally, refused to hang around the teen who had apparently broken their best friend’s heart.

 

thomas still didn’t know entirely what to say, even after knowing her for as long as since late freshman year. he hadn’t ever spoken to her about it. hell, he hadn’t even known about any of it until she had left without a word. 

 

minho and newt were another situation entirely, having always been closer to thomas from the start. thomas met minho during freshman year when he had been paired up with him in chemistry class, a class they had both been advanced enough to take. of course, due to their younger age, they had been paired together, and not only did they nearly blow up the entire school, but they had one hell of a time doing it. it was an instant friendship, the pair always having the most things in common. minho was probably the first best friend he had ever had. thomas would even go so much as saying minho  _ was _ his best friend, but he couldn’t choose between minho and newt.

 

newt was on such an entirely different playing field. he was different than minho, lacking the vocal vehemence and sass the other boy seemed to carry around with him like a backpack. newt was gentler, more willing to listen to thomas. if thomas joked about math class making him want to end it all, minho would shout out a “been there, done that” whereas newt’s eyebrows would slowly knit together in a literal kind of concern. he’d want to make sure thomas was truly alright, something thomas was always grateful to have around.

 

he met newt through minho, ironically. during sophomore year, newt had transferred, coming in from the united kingdom. at the time, he had carried a heavier accent with him, and was much more shy. maybe he still was. thomas wouldn’t be able to tell. nowadays, newt always seemed relaxed whenever thomas was in the vicinity. bolder, even. newt once thanked thomas for the confidence, but thomas never knew how to respond and so he never did.

 

minho had been asked to walk newt around the school after the blond joined late in the year. minho found newt to be the lame kind of hilarious and wanted thomas to meet him, too. newt and minho had similarities deeply rooted within them, even if it was hard to tell on the surface. 

 

he had become comfortable around minho fastest, later becoming comfortable around thomas, too. thomas didn’t think newt ever seemed completely out there when teresa was around, something he often teased was probably because newt had a crush. newt always grew flustered at the teasing whenever teresa was absent, and so minho and thomas took it as validation.

 

senior year caused teresa to transfer and for the three remaining boys to all find themselves with separate classes and lunch times. they barely ever saw each other. thomas remembered worrying about the pair for different reasons. he thought minho would get in with the wrong crowds, something he noticed hadn’t happened. minho actually hung around a lot of girls whenever thomas saw him around the campus and it had caused thomas to wonder if minho was closeted. 

 

with newt, thomas worried he would be alone. he never really saw newt hang out with anyone except thomas and friends during the previous years, and a part of him wanted to protect newt from ever feeling alone. hell, he wanted to protect anyone from ever having to feel alone.

 

his worries had subsided, much to his surprise, after he noticed newt hanging out with a rather large crowd. he seemed bolder, more confident. he even seemed from afar as more of a leader to his new friend group than anything. thomas enjoyed the character development.

 

“i’m with thomas,” newt reaffirmed, and thomas finally turned around to face him.

 

he raised an eyebrow at the slightly taller boy, but didn’t openly question it. the way newt had initially declared it had been instinctive. it wasn’t new. thomas had noticed during junior year that newt liked to follow him around a lot. he’d follow thomas anywhere. it wasn’t in a creepy sense. honestly, whenever thomas was feeling down, it was almost like newt sensed it, and he was always there. when thomas needed space, newt was closer with minho. thomas didn’t know what newt seemed to sense in him, now, to feel so strongly inclined to pair up with him, but thomas wasn’t going to ask. 

 

“teresa, my ride or die, i guess that means you’re with me.” minho was more than enthusiastic as he twisted around, raising a palm. thomas watched as she instantly raised a hand and gave him a high-five.

 

everyone was suddenly so comfortable with each other again, even if they hadn’t realized it. it was just so natural to them. thomas thought that was sad, but beautiful. 

 

“you wanted to pair up with me, huh?” teresa teased, nudging him in the shoulder. minho swatted her away.

 

“mhm. don’t get your hopes up. i just need to roast thomas’ ass to hell. you’ve always been a terrifying opponent. i think as king and queen of laser tag, we’ll swat them like flies,” minho responded coolly, suddenly turning to newt and wiggling his eyebrows.

 

newt instantly pushed at him. “oh fuck off, you twat.”

 

thomas suddenly found himself stricken with interest. “uh, bitch. excuse me? king? no. i’m the king. it’s the reason you’re over there begging teresa for help.”

 

minho glared. “fine. i’ll trade for newt. i can win even with newt on my team.”

 

“okay, guys. what the fuck. i’m right here,” newt jumped in, but nobody seemed willing to respond.

 

“alright. fine,” thomas scoffed.

 

“yeah, okay, well i’m not pairing up with thomas. not when i’m ready to scorch him to hell and back. minho, you already got me pumped. too late.” teresa reached over and smacked minho hard on the shoulder.

 

minho rolled his eyes at her, obviously having been ready for the challenge she’s trying to prevent. “fine. they’ll be easy prey.”

 

newt tossed his hands up and let them fall back down to his side. “i give up.”

 

thomas noticed him, then, gaze shifting as he watched the blond for a moment or two. newt had chosen to stop listening to the other three’s squabbling, seeming more interested in the gun attached to his vest. thomas averted his gaze.

 

“alright, but who says newt is bad at laser tag? when did we decide that? we’re an amazing team. fuck you guys.”

 

newt whipped his head up at the indirect praise, staring at thomas before nodding, almost as if silently thanking him. “honestly,” he suddenly said, turning away from thomas and towards the other two instead. “i only paired up with thomas to make sure the only threat on this field was on my side.”

 

“newt—“ thomas was interrupted.

 

“okay, blah, blah. you made thomas’ gay heart melt with joy. see you fuckers on the field!” the doors to the room slid open and minho walked backwards, saluting them before twirling around and blasting into the room.

 

teresa watched minho leave, but didn’t follow right away, turning to newt instead. “i think we just kind of assume you’re bad because of the limp. plus, remember last time we went laser tagging?” she told him genuinely, though a hint of amusement found its way into her tone during her last statement.

 

newt rolled his eyes. “listen. that was one time. i’m evolved. i’ve adapted. ain’t that right, tommy?” he turned to thomas, then.

 

thomas blanched. “okay, listen-“

 

teresa laughed and bolted. 

 

newt walked over, pressing his palms against thomas’ chest and pushing him harshly. “i deserve better friends. peace. don’t be surprised if i switch teams on your ass.” he bolted.

 

“newt! hey- stop. no,” he rushed out, scrambling after him in a hurry. they were going to whip the other team’s asses and thomas knew exactly how, but it wasn’t going to be easy if newt wasn’t willing to stick around like a team player and help him come up with a proper strategy.

 

thomas wasn’t all that worried, though, as he walked through the doors into the dark room. the door closed behind him. 

 

newt was a strategist. it was just who he was. he’d be back for thomas. besides, thomas knew for a damn fact newt wasn’t switching teams. the first time they ever went laser tagging, newt had been paired with minho and minho had been pissed, complaining he had to ‘carry his entire team.’ 

 

thomas’ only concern was trying to find newt in a faster amount of time among the various lit up neon obstacles. it was a two-floored arena, a large space on both top and bottom. it was supposed to hold a large competition, but because the building was new, no one had really heard about it. plus, teresa’s uncle owned the place and had gotten them in earlier than the arena was supposed to even officially open. date wise, that is. they were the testers, per day. 

 

thomas traced his hand along the wall of their side. they had a base, but due to the largeness of the arena, he doubted they’d be focusing on those buzzers for points. the timer was vocally counting down before they could begin, but he wasn’t stopping in his tracks until he had found his blond friend.

 

“three.”

 

“newt,” thomas called out quietly.

 

“two.”

 

“newt, come on.” his voice had raised a little bit out of panicked frustration.

 

“one.”

 

“NEWT, WHAT THE FUCK.”

 

the buzzer went off. thomas let out a heated groan as he shook his head, hands finding their way to the gun and he wrapped one hand around the neck, another around the handle with a finger hovering over the trigger.

 

he made his way around the lower floor, keeping close to the walls as his eyes strained in dimmer lit areas in search of newt. he was tempted to just hold down on the trigger and raise the gun skyward in hopes of drawing attention, but there was also the con of drawing the wrong kind.

 

thomas never liked playing laser tag with only a few people, but at least in the given space, they had ample amount of area to run around in, despite normal rules. minho scared him in that area slightly, or at least, he would’ve used to. minho was fast. sometimes they nicknamed him ‘a runner.’ he had done track for most of his life. ironically, minho played himself when during sophomore year he suggested thomas sign up for track with him. now, thomas was fast enough to keep up with the boy, even if he didn’t think he’d ever be able to outrun him. 

 

he supposed it was better that each of the runners had someone slower with them. it made the teams fair. teresa was slow simply because she had never run a day in her life. newt was slower because he had a limp he still refused to tell anybody about. thomas, minho, and teresa collectively respected the privacy, but he also remembered a time when people were very pushy around newt, wanting to know what happened. minho once beat someone to the ground for cornering newt to ask, even though newt was a leader, in thomas’ eyes, and could’ve handled himself, just as he always had. 

 

minho had just been protective around that time, having just met newt months prior and all. there was a time when minho was even protective over teresa and thomas. deep down, he believed there was a part of minho that still was protective, a trait all of the friends shared for each other. nowadays, minho was just less open about it.

 

rushed footsteps. 

 

thomas froze in place at the sound of it, nose twitching slightly as he looked around slowly. “n-“

 

“yippee kai ay, motherfucker!” minho suddenly leaped over an obstacle not meant for jumping over, landing in front of it in a crouch, gun aimed perfectly at thomas’ chest.

 

he was shocked into stillness for a moment, eyes widened as the blinkers on his chest commenced flashing red like crazy. 

 

“oh my god,” he finally drew out, jumping into action as he flew forward directly into the continued aim of laser fire, causing minho’s eyes to widen and for him to jump off to the left. 

 

with minho out of the way, thomas pushed against the ground and leaped over the obstacle minho had appeared from earlier. no way was he losing to a cocky son of a bitch. not today. not ever. he raced through the maze of obstacles, uncaring at the volume of his footfall. his priority was losing the beast that was minho. 

 

he decided as he began heading up the ramp to the upper level that if he saw teresa, now might be a perfect opportunity to speak with her about the rumors he had heard. after all, none of them had really spoken in so long, aside from the spam texts from minho about how he wished they would all come hang out with him before high school was over and they were lost to him forever. 

 

thomas shuffled through a dark area, resorting to quiet treading again. he must have misjudged newt. he really wasn’t making this easy for thomas. maybe he really was annoyed. maybe thomas was wrong about newt teaming up with him because he felt like something was up with thomas. thomas felt like an idiot.

 

“teresa,” he called out, rounding a corner as he scanned the area.

 

if newt was going to be unresponsive, he decided that he might as well abandon his team for a chance to resolve something that had been bothering him for a while.

 

“ter-“ a hand clamped over his mouth and he was dragged roughly into someone’s chest. they moved a short distance before the hand was removed and thomas was being roughly shoved up against one of the dark coated walls. “what the hell?”

 

“yeah, what in the bloody hell is right, mate. buddying up with the enemy? the hell?” newt.

 

thomas found himself angry. the fact that newt abandoned him, yet thought he knew all of the guidelines of the game irritated thomas for a moment. maybe he was being dramatic and just felt overwhelmed by the pressure of the game, but he gripped newt’s wrists whose palms were still planted firmly into thomas’ chest, yanking them off of him. he then proceeded to roughly push newt off of him.

 

he hadn’t meant to, normally being able to deal with the pressures of playing a competitive game, but something in him had snapped a little bit and he had let the weight of all of his troubles transcend into the power of one, two-handed push.

 

newt tripped backwards and fell hard on his ass.

 

thomas closed his eyes for a second, turning around and pressing his forehead against the wall as he sucked in a deep breath.  _ he was sorry, he was sorry, he was sorry. _ he was sorry for everything. for so many people. he didn’t know how to express that, he had never known how to express that.

 

he reopened his eyes, turning around. he expected newt to have gotten up and bolted or have been standing in aggravation, but to his surprise, his gaze traveled downwards.

 

newt was still sitting up on the ground, but he seemed focused on himself, rubbing at his wrist a little.

 

thomas instinctively sucked in a short breath as a response, simply because  _ fucking hell, he hurt his best friend _ , but newt’s head shot up instantly at the sound. he didn’t seem so focused on himself anymore and he stood up so fast he almost looked like he got a head rush.

 

“i’m-“

 

“are you okay?” and the question was so genuine and so simple that thomas was thrown off guard. newt’s eyes twinkled with concern as he tilted his head slightly to the side, seeming to give thomas a once over.

 

maybe something was wrong with thomas. maybe newt had already known that.

 

“i don’t think so.”

 

newt blinked. “it’s not because i let minho tag you, is it?”

 

thomas was reeling. “goodnight, asshole. you let him tag me? you saw that?”

 

a laugh snuck out of the blond, a sheepish smile breaking out across his face as newt shrugged, averting his gaze. “not really. but, i heard the twat screaming when it happened.”

 

“true. tagging me enthuses him.” and thomas was smiling because he couldn’t help himself. newt always made him feel good, even in the most surprising ways. “i mean, come on. why so loud for?”

 

“i-“ newt stopped, looking like a deer in the headlights. 

 

thomas was suddenly the concerned one. he didn’t know what was wrong and it caused his heart rate to shoot up dramatically. he opened his mouth, preparing to ask when suddenly his eyes traveled downwards and he saw it.

 

newt was blinking. he was blinking red.

 

“son of a bitch,” thomas let out at the same time newt unfroze and mumbled out a “bloody hell.”

 

thomas stared past newt, eyes locking with teresa’s. she was more casual than minho, dangling the gun in front of her with one hand, aiming it at the lights on the back of newt’s vest. she winked when their eyes met and he wanted to return the playful gesture, but remembered who the fuck he was. newt was his teammate, whether they were all friends or not. thomas was not losing to minho. 

 

“come on.” he reached out and snatched at newt’s wrist, fingers wrapping around it as he began dragging the blond behind him. 

 

there was a hand trying to pry him off, nails digging into thomas’ hand and suddenly the repetitive ringing of  _ run, run, run  _ left his head. 

 

“please. please, tommy.” and it was newt, digging his nails into thomas’ hand and digging his heels into the floor in an attempt to slow thomas down. “please.”

 

it was simple. though, thomas stopped instinctively, retracting his hand from newt and twirling around. “wh-“ but he paused, eyes trained on the wrist he had latched onto the way babies latch onto thumbs. the wrist thomas had seen newt caressing when he had knocked him back on his ass earlier.

 

“shit. newt, i’m-“

 

“it’s okay.” 

 

thomas hated how genuine newt sounded. how genuine he looked. he truly gave thomas too many chances. he had too much patience for the reckless teenager with too many problems piling up on his plate. newt deserved better. he needed better friends. he wasn’t thomas’ mother.

 

“it’s not,” thomas stated firmly, shaking his head as he looked back at him. “and i’m sorry. i’m sorry for a lot.”

 

newt opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly sprinted ahead of thomas the best he could, heading further into the lit up maze. 

 

thomas wanted to question it, even though he instinctively took off after newt like it was second nature. though, he recalled newt was a strategist. rather smart, too. thomas figured he was trying to get them further away from teresa, considering the pair hadn’t gotten far before newt had managed to pry thomas away from him.

 

newt was smart. 

 

when they had finally slowed down, finding themselves in the corner of the building’s room, thomas turned to make sure they were alone. he had managed to sprint ahead of newt at one point, and he leaned against the corner where the sides of the room met. it was small, but dark. this side of the room wasn’t well lit to begin with, but the corner could fit a person, and you wouldn’t be able to see them at all aside from the constantly glittering lights on their chests and backs.

 

the back of the vests were dimmer, though, easier to disguise. maybe it was because the game didn’t endorse stabbing friends in the back. thomas could be down with that motto. 

 

“you feel like you should be sorry for everything. you’re blaming yourself for everything, but tommy, you’re not the reason we all went our separate ways.”

 

he turned to newt, staring hard at him in the dimly lit area. he stepped a little bit out from the corner crevice, not wanting to be completely invisible. he had just enjoyed the position. “i mean, i guess?”

 

“teresa left.”

 

“because of me.”

 

“no.”

 

“yes.”

 

“no.”

 

“newt.”

 

“tommy.”

 

thomas rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he let out a breath. “come on, newt. let’s be real.”

 

“i am being real.”

 

“she liked me.”

 

“so the rumors say.” newt didn't look very convinced or willing to see thomas’ side.

 

everything has a domino effect. maybe if teresa hadn’t transferred, they wouldn’t have gotten this bad.

 

“newt, i love you, buddy. i really do. but, if you really wanted me to stop blaming myself, you would have let me go speak to teresa earlier.”

 

newt blinked. thomas knew he wasn’t stupid. newt was very observant, he would’ve had somewhat of a clue as to why thomas had been calling out for teresa. thomas just didn’t understand why he stopped him.

 

“you would have lost.”

 

“huh?”

 

“the game. you would have lost the game.”

 

“i don’t care about the game, newt.”

 

newt shook his head. “yes you do. it’s just not a priority.” 

 

thomas wanted to disagree, but his competitive nature wasn’t willing to allow him to argue. “i would’ve lost, then. so what?”

 

“you’re bad at prioritizing your problems, thomas.”

 

“excuse me?”

 

“alright. you have all of these problems bubbling up inside of you,” newt began, stepping closer to where thomas still lingered just outside of the corner crevice. “imagine you did talk to her. what if she did validate the rumors? what then, huh?”

 

“i would’ve worked it-“

 

“ _ no _ . you would have been upset, blaming yourself more. harder. whatever was left of the game, you still would’ve lost. you would have left this place with two losses under your belt. you were hit by minho, i was hit by teresa.”

 

“okay.”

 

“it’s not  _ okay. _ imagine you didn’t talk to her. you’d get off your ass and you’d win this fucking game.”

 

“i guess i would-“

 

“yes, you would. you would’ve left here feeling like a champion. then, you would have had a chance to talk with teresa. if she validated the rumors, so what? yeah, you’re sad, but you beat the hell out of her and minho today, man. you would have felt good, at least.”

 

“y-“ thomas was cut off.

 

“i swear, i’m going to get him back. you said you got newt, right?” it was muffled and distant, but it was minho. he was getting closer.

 

thomas panicked suddenly, glancing between the both of them. something must have been wrong with thomas’ vest. it truly wasn’t glowing as bright as newt’s. maybe it had to do with all of the rattling of the vest the jumping had caused earlier or something. maybe it was rigged destiny. 

 

instinctively, he shot out, careful not to grab onto newt this time, instead wrapping his arms around the blond and pulling him to his chest. he twisted around, backing newt securely in the dark crevice of the room, pressing up against him to keep them from being caught.

 

newt seemed surprised, but when thomas moved his feet forwards a little, finally looking at him, he almost seemed to be silently commending thomas’ quick thinking.

 

thomas didn’t think it was smart to continue their conversation, especially not after all of the trouble thomas had just gone through to keep them both safe, but it was exactly what newt did.

 

“you’re a winner. always have been. i know it. they know it. why do you think they’re trying so hard to win? because you’ve never lost,” newt ended up continuing the conversation.

 

thomas thought if he was going to do that, he should be quieter. he heard close footfall, fight or flight adrenaline kicking in his system as he pushed forward, newt seeming increasingly more uncomfortable with being so pressed against the hard surface. there was no space between them and newt somehow managed to wriggle a hand from where it was lodged at his side in between the boys’ chests and he stared at thomas.

 

“you’re panicking.”

 

thomas reached up and pulled newt’s hand back down to his side, not liking the extra weight in between them. it made their situation even sweatier than it already seemed to be on the verge of. he didn’t think he trusted newt, and so he interlocked their fingers, firmly keeping them in place against the wall.

 

hell, newt was right. he was panicking. newt’s chest was falling evenly. he was calm, and thomas couldn’t understand how someone in the midst of metaphorical war could be so at ease. maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised. newt was always calm. abnormally calm. thomas always wondered if it was just a british thing. 

 

“how the hell are you so calm?” he decided to ask, pushing his face closer to newt’s as he whispered out the words between slightly gritted teeth, the opposing team practically on top of them by the sound of it. 

 

“because i’m with you. and i’d follow you anywhere. i have. we all have. if you didn’t come, i don’t think anyone would have. i know minho jokes, calling me ‘the glue’ and all, but he’s wrong. it’s you.” newt was finally lowering his volume and thomas was grateful for it.

 

“minho, maybe you’re wrong. i don’t see them. i think they’re back downstairs.”

 

they were there. right down the hall. if they investigated closer to the crevice maybe they would’ve been victorious. thomas’ breathing hitched and he turned to newt, the lights in between their chests and guns helping him to see the blond’s dimly lit face in the dark. 

 

he stared. newt was outlined in pretty reds. red was newt’s color, thomas randomly decided, then.

 

newt opened his mouth and thomas grew fearful he’d speak and give them away. maybe newt was right. maybe thomas did always win, but maybe it was because he’d go through hellfire to do that. 

 

“you are,” he ended up whispering out, trying to cut him off and suddenly thomas was pushing his face forward. the pair were kissing before thomas could even register that they were. body moving ahead of mind. with the hand not holding newt’s, thomas reached up subconsciously and held it against the blond’s cheek.

 

“guess i was wrong. never fucking mention this.” 

 

“mhm, minho. sure.”

 

thomas heard them retreating. his breathing slowed, but his heart rate wouldn’t. 

 

“FUCKING HELL, ABORT.” minho’s strangled shout erupted throughout the room and thomas suddenly grew conscious that not only was he kissing a boy, but that it was newt.

 

he pulled back instinctively, turning around and expecting minho to be laughing. to thomas’ surprise, minho was grabbing at his hair, running around in circles. both minho and teresa’s vests were blinking blue.

 

thomas turned back around. newt. underneath thomas’ arm he had adjusted the gun, and now that thomas wasn’t standing so close, newt had an even wider range, hitting not just minho, but teresa, too.

 

thomas choked out a laugh, saluting as minho snatched teresa’s hand and bolted. 

 

“where the fuck were they?” teresa’s voice echoed.

 

“the corner, you idiot!” minho cried out. very expressively, thomas might add.

 

“i’m what?”

 

thomas turned back around. newt was standing there, tossing the gun into his opposite hand as he stared curiously at thomas. right. thomas had nearly forgotten what he had said.

 

“the glue.”

 

“i don’t keep us together, though.”

 

“you keep  _ me _ together.”

 

*****

 

at the end of the day, minho went home pissy. he had lost. not just because of newt’s strategic comeback, but because of all of the base points newt had apparently collected at the start of the game when he had left thomas. none of them had planned to play with the base points, but newt apparently liked to win, too.

 

teresa and thomas talked outside of the car when she was dropped off first, and learned that the rumors weren’t true. she had been a closeted lesbian. she transferred schools to be with her girlfriend, brenda, whom thomas made her promise he’d get to meet that year.

 

newt went home second. thomas simply waved, but the air between them had felt lighter. easier. thomas wasn’t so stressed anymore.

 

because of the experience, the four hung out a lot more often again, newt even abandoning new pal alby to make more time for thomas and friends.

 

thomas didn’t know what he was with newt, but he knew he felt something. maybe newt knew that, too.

 

the laser tag company called two-hundred-fifty was booming with customers after officially being opened. 

 

thomas invited them to hang out there again for a private game.

 

“i’m with thomas.”

 

“ _ no, newt.  _ not this time, fucker. i’m still itching for a win,” minho complained.

 

“i’m with teresa, then,” thomas replied easily. teresa lit up, giving him a high five.

 

both minho and newt looked disappointed.

 

“we’ll toast your asses,” minho declared, pointing a finger accusingly in their direction. 

 

“it’s on.”

 

and in the end, minho lost again, furthermore proving thomas’ inability to lose. maybe it was because newt was helping the other team. maybe newt helped because thomas kept kissing him.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Minho's team was blue, Thomas' was red. Color changes were purposeful.  
> I've never written before and I'm not very good, so i'm sorry.  
> Lowercase!intended.


End file.
